The Portland Timbers faced Minnesota United on Saturday night at Providence Park, and after a Minnesota turned two of their few good scoring chances into early goals, the Timbers would respond with three of their own for a 3-2 win. Evander, Santiago Moreno, and Jonathan Rodríguez would score for the Timbers, while Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Jeong Sang-bin would tally for the visitors.
In the 18th minute, Minnesota had a great chance off a ball that came free after a corner kick, but the chance from close in was stopped by a nice kick save from James Pantemis.
The Timbers had a great chance of their own in the 22nd minute when Felipe Mora played a nice ball across the box to Jonathan Rodríguez, but his shot was surprisingly well over the crossbar.
In the 29th minute a loose ball in their own box would come back to haunt the Timbers as a cross by Joseph Rosales was stopped by Pantemis, but the rebound fell to Bongokuhle Hlongwane who finished easily, and Minnesota had a 1-0 lead.
In the 33rd minute, Mora made a spectacular attempt with a bicycle kick, but his chance was easily saved by Clint Irwin. In the 37th minute Mora had a better chance as he turned on a ball near the Minnesota penalty spot, but blasted the shot just wide right.
But seconds later Minnesota would double their lead, when off the ensuing goal kick, headed by Diego Chará at midfield, but falling into the run of Hlongwane, who played a nice pass into the run of Jeong Sang-bin, who finished easily, and the score was 2-0 Minnesota.
In the 43rd minute, Evander had a great free kick chance from just outside the Minnesota box, but his shot was tipped just wide. On the ensuing corner kick, Zac McGraw would have a great chance on a header, but the shot was tipped off the crossbar. McGraw suffered a cheek injury on the play and had the leave the match to get stitched up.
But in first half stoppage time the Timbers would get a chance to pull back a goal when a foul was called on a play on Mora in the Minnesota box. Evander would take the kick and blasted his shot just inside the right post past Irwin, and the score was now 2-1 Minnesota, which would be the score at the break.
In the 48th minute, David Ayala would have a great header chance off a corner kick, but the chance was stopped by Irwin.
After several other good Timbers chances had gone unrewarded, the Timbers finally tied it up in the 74th minute when Santiago Moreno made a nice run to the top of the Minnesota box and blasted a laser just inside the left post, and the score was now 2-2.
In the 83rd minute Rodríguez had a glorious chance to finish a cross from Juan David Mosquera, but it was a difficult ball and he managed to miss on a shot from only a foot or so away into an open net.
Then in the 87th minute the Timbers thought they had taken the lead on a breakaway goal by Antony, but the goal was disallowed by VAR.
But in stoppage time the Timbers would get a goal that wouldn’t be overturned, when Rodríguez turned in a cross from Dairon Asprilla, and the Timbers had a late 3-2 lead.
Evander would have a great chance to seal the win late in stoppage time with a mostly open chance that he slipped just past the right post. But the 3-2 lead would hold up for the win.
